In multitasking operating systems, an end user may execute several application programs simultaneously. The user interacts with only one of the application programs at a time. Windowing systems have been utilized with multitasking operating systems wherein each of the application programs is associated with a respective window and is displayed on a portion of the user's display unit. The user may size and move a selected window. Additionally, all or a portion of several windows may be visible at a given time. The user may choose to change the appearance of the application program from a window to an icon which pictorially represents the associated application program. This procedure is called "minimizing" an application. The icon generally remains visible on the display while the user operates in an active or a primary window. Moreover, the execution of the application continues even though the application program is being represented by the icon. A plurality of icons may be utilized to represent respective application programs. When a selected application program has been minimized, the application program maintains, in a virtual buffer, an internal representation of the data which would have normally appeared in the window associated therewith.
Oftentimes, the user desires to know when a selected minimized application program has completed a desired task or requires the attention of the user. In this case, the user must restore the appearance of the application to the window associated therewith. If the application has not completed the desired task or does not require attention, the user generally, minimizes the application in order to perform additional work in primary window or to check the status of another minimized application program. This process is tedious and time consuming. Moreover, the process is extremely time consuming when there are a plurality of icons representing respective application programs. In this case the user must restore and then minimize each of the applications to determine if any or all have completed their respective desired task or needs the attention of the user.
Consequently, what is needed is a method of monitoring an application whereby the user can determine the status thereof without restoring the application.